Fiber drawing apparatus



Feb. 20, 1962 J. HIGGINS, JR 3,022,020

FIBER DRAWING APPARATUS Filed. Nov. 30, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 '/f /07 Feb. 20, 1962 L. J. HIGGINS, JR 3,022,020

FIBER DRAWING APPARATUS Filed. Nov. so, 1955 4 sheets-sheet 2 HH A |Hun ,.-I'llll Il Illllllll" mlllh -H||||||| IIIIIHHHIHH AIMA.

A) TTORNEK Feb. 20, 1962 L. J. HIGGINS, JR

FIBER DRAWING APPARATUS Filed. Nov. 50, 1955 NIH."

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 20, 1962 L.. J. HIGGINS, JR 3,022,020

FIBER DRAWING APPARATUS Filed. Nov. 50, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Se( 'Il ull e 1 e .instell btates if 3,022,320 FBER DRAWNG APPARATUS lice James Higgins, 5r., Kansas City, Mo., assigner to @Tustin-Bacon Manufacturing Company, a corporation et ll/Iissouri Filed Nov. 30, 1955, Ser. No. 550,978 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-18) The present invention relates in general to the manufacture of glass fiber and it refers more particularly to an improved apparatus for drawing liber from a source of molten glass.

This application covers an improvement based upon the co-pending application of `loseph F. Stephens and George H. Sowers, Serial No. 353,964, led May ll, 1953, now Patent No. 2,845,157.

lt is a vbroad object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for producing glass fiber on a continuous basis, and, as it is produced, collecting the liber in different lots according to size, the collecting operation being shifted selectively from one lot to another (without interruption in production of the ber) in accordance with the instantaneous size of the liber. In carrying out the invention, there is employed a rotating drum to which the fiber is attached and which serves both to draw the liber from a conventional liber-generating lbushing or furnace and also to wind up the liber thus produced. An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of improved means for causing the liber to be fed onto the drum in different axially restricted and axially separated regions thereof, depending upon the liber size at any given instance.

According to the invention, all ber drawn by the drum while operating at a speed which results in the obtaining of ber of a desired diameter is fed oto a selected zone of the drum by guiding the strand or strands to that zone while the design speed is maintained. However, during periods of acceleration to or deceleration from the design speed when due to the slow drawing speed the fiber generated is coarser than that desired, provision is made for automatically shitting the guide means to another position whereby the ber will be guided to another zone of the drum which is axially separated and remote lfrom the zone in which is collected the ber of the desired diameter. The respective sizes of fiber thus are kept separate from one another without any interruption in the continuity of the drawing or the liber, and when the winding thereof on the drum has beencompleted the two sizes om be removed from the drum as separate hanlis, neither of which is contaminated by ber of the other size. A feature of the invention resides in eecting the shift inthe feeding of the liber from one ot said zones to the other at relatively high speed. This is important in that it achieves a clear and decisive zone of separation between the ne and coarse windings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a liber drawing apparatus in which the num-ber of moving parts are reduced to a minum so that there are few bearings and other areas of frictional contact likely to be inliltrated and clogged by fragments of liber or dust particles. It is, in this connection, a feature of the invention that the parts have been surliciently reduced in number and have been so arranged as to make it possible to enclose the operating mechanism within a closed cabinet which aids in preventing the intrusion of dust particles.

Still another object is to provide a fiber drawing apparatus in which liquid sizing is deposited on the liber, as it is drawn, by means of a sizing circulation system which is automatically controlled by the drawing apparatus and in which the sizing system is included as a part of the apparatus. A valuable feature of the invention in this respect is the provision of a sizing circulation system in Aposed helical layers.

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which excess sizing applied to the liber is collected and, after impurities and abrasive particles are removed therefrom, returned to the spray nozzles for reuse.

A further object is to provide a ber drawing apparatus in which safety means are provided for preventing the application of braking force to the winding drum until such time as the liber guide means is positioned to deliver ber into the coarse ber collection zone. This prevents the accidental mixing of tine and coarse fibers, thus preserving the uniformity kof diameter in the main collecting zone.

Other and further objects or the invention together with the additional features of novelty whereby the objects -are achieved will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification-and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views;

FIG. l is a front perspective view of a be drawing arparatus embodying the inventtion;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the unit illustrated FlG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the electrical and hydraulic circuits and the associated mechanical parts uti zen in the operation of the machine;

ratG. 4 is a front elevation of the unit, the wall of the cabinet being broken away to show the interior, and other parte being broken away for purposes of illustration;

5 is a rear elevation of the unit, the wall of the cabinet and other parts being removed or ybroken away for purposes of illustration;

EIL'. 5 is an end elevation of the unit taken from the right hand end of FlG. 4, the cabinet walls having been removed and other parts being removed or broken away for purposes of illustration; v

FlG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 7 7 of FlG. 5 inthe direction of the arrows; and

Fifi. S is a schematic view of the sizing circulation system 4for the machine.

ln co-pending application, Ser. No. 353,964, now Patent No. 2,845,l57, to which reference has been made above, there is disclosed a method of drawing glass liber for which instant invention is especially adapted to aid in performing. Brielly, the method disclosed therein comprises the gathering on a rotary drum of a plurality of filaments formed by multi-orifices in a bushing fed molten glass from a suitable melting source. To obtain bers of a given diameter, the drum is rotated at a predetermined constant speed, the particular speed of rotation governthe liber diameter. In the particular apparatus illustrated in said application, the drum is shifted axially back and forth at a slow rate to wind the fibers in superim- Whenever the rate of rotation of the drum falls oli from the rate desired, or when starting the drum from a stopped condition and bringing it up to speed, provision is made for shifting the drum to a position wherein the coarser fibers will wind on another section oi the drum, thereby preserving the uniformity of he main winding.

Gne of the features distinguishing the present invention from the apparatus disclosed in eo-pencling application, Serial 353,954-, is that in the present invention the drum remains in a tired axial position at all times, the filaments being moved back and forth at the proper rate to obtain the helical winding by a reciprocating traversing arm.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 16 indicates the cylindrical rotary drum on which are to be wound iilaments if.. The lilftrnents drawn from a conventional bushing (not shown) and are gathered into a single strand 11a by means ofthe gathering shoe 12.

.This gathering shoeis the conventional flannel pad on a grooved metal part, or alternatively the stationary or rotatable graphite wheel known to theVK art. The shoe 12 is carried in a manner presently to be described on the upper end of the traversing arm 13. Arm i3 is adapted to be shifted axially of the drum by mechanism hereinafter to be set forth.

It will be noted that as in co-pending application, Serial 353,964, now Patent No. 2,846,157, the drum 1t? is divided into two separate zones A and E (see FIG. 4). In using the unit, after attaching the strand lla to zone A of the drum (which is preferably of slightly reduced diameter as indicated at 16o), the drum is brought up to proper speed without any movement of arm i3 and the gathering shoe 12 carried thereby. Accordingly, the bers drawn during this period of acceleration, which naturally are coarser than desired, are wound onto the drum in the zone A. When the drum reaches the speed necessary for producing larnents of the desired iineness, the traversing arm 13 is automatically shifted, by means later to be described, to the left as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 (to the right in FlG. 5) so that the strand lla travels into zone B of the drum. Thereafter, 'so long as the drum continues to travel at full speed, the arm i3 is Vreciprocated to produce level winding of the strand throughoutzone B only. drum decreases, the arm is immediately shifted again `so that the coarse ber then 'generated will be Vwound on the drum only inV zone A. If the speed drop represents a transient condition, the arm subsequently is again shifted so that the winding will be resumed in zone vB as soon as the drum` speed is restored to the proper value for `producing filaments of the desired ineness. As a result of this mode of operation, it will be clear that all of the ne fibers are wound Yon the drumY in zone B while all of the coarse fibers are collected in zone A.

Ignoring for the present the cabinet, and referringfinitially to FiGS. 4, 5 and 6, the supporting frame work of the 'machine has four upright legs l5. These are connected together and braced by a pair of crosspieces Sa and 15b at each end of the frame and by four horizontal members 15C, 15d, 5e and lf extending longitudinally of the frame. Conveniently, all of the aforementioned frame components are metal members welded together at their junctions to form a strong rigid structure. The lower horizontal frame members 15b, i5@ and ISf provide support for a lower deck 16 on which are supported various parts of the unit later to be described.

The drum 1t) is mounted on the top of the frame, being carried by a shaft i7 journaled at opposite ends of the drum in bearings it; and 19 respectively. Bearing 18 is mounted on an upright pedestal 2li supported at its lower end on a cross member 2l. extending laterally be-v tween and connected to horizontal frame members 15C and 15d. Bearing Ii9 is carried by a superstructure comprising four upright legs 22 welded to the top horizontal frame members 15o and 15d, four interconnecting horizontal crosspieces 23, and Va pair of diagonal bracing members 24 (best seen in FIG. 6).

, The rotary drive for drum 19 is provided by an electric motor 25 which is supported within the frame on a platforml. A drive pulley 27 is secured to motor shaft 25a and an endless belt 28 drivingly connects motor pulley 27 with the pulley 29 secured to the drurnshaft 17. The platform 26 on which the motor is mounted is capable of up and down movement, being supported If, for any reason, the speed ofV Bolts Si) are supported on the by a pair of L-shaped members 35 welded or otherwise secured to the platform.

As is best seen in FiG. 3, pneumatic cylinder 33 has therein a conventional piston 33o to which rod 32 is affixed. Airl is supplied from below the piston through ine 35, a coil spring 37 on top of the piston continually urging the piston downward. Spring 37 is supplemented, of course, by the weight of the motor acting on the platform 26. VThe stroke of piston such that when `the platform is in its lowerlnost position belt 23g is drawn taut between pulleys 2'7 and 29 so that the motor 25 will drive the drum 1d; and when the platform isV in its uppermost position (the position illustrated in the drawings), the belt is too loose to be effective in driving the drum. Y Air is supplied to cylinder 33 under suicient pressure to counteract the combined downward forces exerted by the weight of motor 25 and the spring il? as to maintain the platform, through rod 32, in its ,uppermost posi tion. The upper end of pneumatic cylinder 33 is pivoted tothe frame as Yat 38 (see HG. 6) to permit the Ytilting of the cylinder necessary to compensate for the pivotal movement of platform 26 between its limit positions.

On the drum shaft i7 adjacent its main drive pulley 29 is a brake drum 39 loosely embraced by a brake band el). Band 4l) is fixed on one side of the drum to a bracket .el extending from and secured to one of the diagonal brace members 24. One end of the brake band is pivotally connected to a cross link 42, the link being connected at its other end with a clevs 43a on a shaft 43 extending upwardly from a pneumatic cylinder del. Rising from an intermediate point in cross link 42 and pivotally secured at its lower end to the link is a rod 45 extendin'J Vat its upper end through an aperture formed in the other end of thebrake band 4t). Nuts 46 are threaded on the rod above the end of the brake band and a helical spring 47 encircling the rod tends to maintain the ends of the band separated.Y

A second helical spring 4S 'encircles shaft 43 and bears against a stop 431') to constantly urge it in an upward direction. As'shown in FG. 3, acting against the spring is air supplied under pressure to the cylinder through line 49. When air is supplied to cylinder 44, piston 44a is driven to its lower point'of travel and shaft'43 is drawn down with it. This causes cross link 42 to exert a force through rod 45 drawing the ends of brake band et) and clamping it tightly `about the brake drum to apply a braking force. This is the condition illustrated in the drawings, except in FIG. 6. When the pressurerin cylinder 44'is released, springs 47 and 48 .cooperate to pivot cross link 42 counterclockwise and cause -the brake band 49 to expand and separate itself from the brake drum, `as illustrated in FIG. 6.

Turning now to the opposite end of the fiber collecting drum 19, aixed to shaft l? adjacent bearing 19 is a second pulley 50. A belt 51 connects this pulley with a pulley 52 mounted on the input shaft 53a of a conventional speed reducer unit 53. A second pulley 54 is secured to shaftV 53a and drives through belt 55 a gear pump 56, the purpose of which will be later described.

The speed reducer 53 is of the right angle drive type, the output shaft 53h beinglocated at right angles with the input shaft 53a and extending toward the rear of the machine. Mounted on shaft 53h and adapted to rotate therewith isV aV heart-shaped cam S7. Positioned in a plane parallel with the cam 57 and adapted to be recipro'cated longitudinally by the cam is a bar 58 (see FIG. 7) having a roller'59 which engages the margin of the earn and serves as a cam follower. The bar 58 is supported onblocks all and 61 at its opposite ends (see EEG. 7); The blocks are mounted on'a pair of vertically spaced parallel slide rods'62 and 63 (see FIG. V5'). Rods 62 and 63 are slidably supported in suitably bored blocksd and 65 secured in any convenient fashion to a horizontal Stringer 15g which in turn is -aixed at its ends to the upright frame legs at @therear of the unit.

It will be noted that provided on that end of plate -58 opposite the end carrying cam roller 59 is a dog 66 (see FIG. 7). Dog 66 lies `in the same plane as, and is adapted -to engage under conditions later to be described, a rocker arm 67 pivoted to the frame at 68. The upper end of arm 67 is connectedA to a horizontally traversable block Y69 through the medium of a stub bear.- ing assembly 70 extending from the block Vinto an elongated slot 67a in the arm. Block 69 is slidably carried by three horizontal and parallel rods 71, each of which is received at its opposite ends in bearing blocks 72 and 73. These blocks are rigidly secured .in -any suitable that the block 69 is movable between them.

Carried by block 69 is the traversing arm 13 which is attached to the arm through the medium of al goosenecked plate 74 secured `to that-side of block .Opposite from rocker arm 67 l(see FIG. 6). The lower end of arm 13 is welded to the plate, gussets 74a being provided to strengthen the connection. The arm is preferably of hollow rectangular construction, the upper end telescopically receiving a similar section 13a terminating in a lateral sleeve 13b. The gathering shoe 12, to which reference has previously been made, is carried by a spindle 12a slidably received in lsleeve 13b. Lateral set screws 13e and Y13d Yare provided respectively on arm 13 and sleeve 13b so that the height and lateral spacing of shoe 12 with respect to the drum can be adjusted as desired.

Returning now to the traversing block 69, it will be noted from FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 that there -is attached to the block a chain 75. The chain extends horizontally away from the block and around a sprocket or wheel 76 supported by the frame. Connected to the free end ot the chain and exerting a tensional pull thereon is a weight member 77. Through the tension exerted on the chain by weight 77 a continuous force is provided always urging block 69 toward the far right broken line position illustrated in FIG. 5.. However, this force is normally resisted when the machine is not in operation, or during acceleration or braking as Vwill be later explained, by a horizontally disposed-pneumatic cylinder 78 having piston rod 78a which is slidably connected with block 69 through the medium of a depending ange 79 secured t0 the underside of the block and apertured to slidably receive rod 73a. Pneumatic cylinder 73 is of the double acting type, having air lines 81 and 82, respectively, at the opposite ends thereof. As viewed in the various ngures of the drawing, the retracted position of the rod 78a is illustrated in the solid lines.

The air supply lines for the pneumatic cylinder 78, as weil as cylinders 33 and 44, have been included in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 only to the extent necessary to indicate their presence. This is also true of the details of the valves which control the air supply. rIhese are shown schematically, however, in FIG. 3, from which it will be evident that spring-biased valve 83 is arranged to be operated by solenoid 84 (solenoid 84 normally being deenergized) and valve S5 is yarranged to be operated manually through the three-position lever 86. The actual location on the unit of this lever and valve is shown in FIGS. l, 4 and 6, the lever being Ilocated Aon the front where it is readily accessible by an operator. Air under pressure is connected to the respective valves via supply lines 87 and 83. The valve ports 89 are open to the atmosphere. Thus, air from line 87 normally passes through valve 3 into the line 81 of cylinder ,'78 Y,maintaining the piston at the right hand end of the cylinder, as VShown in FIG. 3 and also in FIG. 4. At the same Atime air from line SS passes through valve 8 5 Ninto the cylinders 33 and 44.

Mounted beneath or adjacent motor platform 26 and adapted to be operated lthereby is a ,normallvopn limit Aswitch Switch 9) is part cian eiectrical circuit which extends from the central conductor 9i of the three-phase current supply to the motor 25 through contact 92, conductor 93, switch 90, the winding of valve solenoid 84 and back to another conductor 91' of the three-phase supply. A main control switch 95 is provided in conductor 91. Contact 92 is opened or closed by means of a relay 96 which is interposed in the third conductor 91" of the three-phase power supply to the motor.

Relay 96 is designed so as to close contact 93 when the motor reaches its design or normal operating speed. During acceleration, the current flow through 91" is suthcicntiy high to cause relay 96 to hold contact 92 open. However, when design speed is reached the load falls oft' and the Contact is closed. The purpose of the various relays and switches will be discussed when describing the operation of the invention at a later point in the specification.

In the preferred'embodiment of the invention valve '783, its solenoid 84 and relay 96 are conveniently collected in a 'small caoinet 97 secured to and supported on the lower fra-me deck 16 -as shown in FEGS. 4 and 5.

r lReturning now to a brief further consideration of hand lever 86 it will be noted that pivotally secured to the lever is an extension rod 98 which spans the frame (see FiG. 6.) and terminates adjacent and to one side of the support lock 72 for the rods carrying traversing block 69. When hand lever l86 is in its full in position (as illustrated in FIG. 3), the end of rod 98 lies between support block 72 anda movable stop lug 99. Lug 99 is carried on a spindle 100 which is slidably received in block 72, one end ofthe spindle being positioned in the path of traversing block 69 (see FIG. 3). The other end of the spindle is slidably supported in a bracket 101, and .a helical spring 102 encircles the spindle between the bracket and the stop lug 99. While spring 102 continually urges lug V99 toward block 72 to close the gap therebetween, the traversing block 69, by virtue of its engagement with the spindle, prevents any movement so long as the block remains in the position illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Once the traveling block 69 is set in motion, the spindle is released and stop lug 99 moves into the path of extension Y rod 98. As will be explained at a later point herein, rod

9S is withdrawn from between the block 72 and stop lug by the operation necessary to set the traversing block 69 in motion. Thereafter, until such time as the traveling block 69 is returned to its stationary position, the stop lug 99 lies in the path of rod 98 and prevents the return of lever 86 to the full in position. The reason for this will become plain during the description of the operation of the unit.

At the opposite end of the frame from the valve and switch cabinet 97 is an upright tank 163 (see FIGS. 4 and 8) which serves as a storage reservoir for a suitable sizing liquid for the drawn fibers. The tank is provided internally with a iilter partition 194. Leading from the tank on one side of the partition to the suction side of pump 56 (earlier described) is a hose line 165. The discharge of the pump is connected by means of a pipe 106 and connecting iiexible hose 196g to a nozzle 107 mounted adjacent the gathering shoe 12 and arranged to deposit sizing on the fibers as they pass the gathering shoe. Hose 1B6a is secured by clamping bands 108 to traverse arm 13 and is of sufficient length to permit movement of the arm through the limits of its travel. It will be noted that interposed in line 196 is a ne lter tb, preferably of the core type. A suitable type filter is one manufactured by the Home Filter Company under the name Por-O-Me the best core being what the company designates as type C.

` Positinned on oppositesides of the drum 1t) are shields 109 and 1 10, respectively. These shields catch the excess sizing liquid thrown from the drum by centrifugal force and direct it'into the dished collecting pan 111 disposed directly beneath the drum and supported by the frame (see FIG. 4). The pan 111 has an outlet 111a. Coupled with the outlet is a drain conduit 112 which Ydischarges at its other endpintotank 103 on the opposite side of lter 104 from the connection with pump line 105. foraminous sieve-like sheet 113 is disposed within and secured at its margin to the side walls of pan 111 to guard the outlet against being clogged by broken bers or slugs of glass that may inadvertently fall into the pan.

One of the features of the instant invention which makes it a valuable improvement over the apparatus disclosed in co-pending application, Serial 353,964, is that the variousroperating parts can be so arranged within the side planes of the frame work as to make it possible to enclose them within a protective cabinet. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sides of the frame areV covered with sheet metal-or any other suitable facing material to form wall panels 114, 115 and 116. The bottom of the unit is closed by the deck 16 earlier mentioned. On top of the unit a rst hood 118 encloses the main drive belt 28, the brake mechanism and the supporting structure located at one end of the drum. A second hood 119 of smaller size at the other end of the drum encloses the powertakeyThis slot is covered by an arcuate hood 120.

Considering the operationvof the unit and referrlng rst to FlG. 37,'let it beassumed that switch 95 is open and Y that motor 25 is thus not running. Valve lever 86 is'in the in position as illustrated in FIG. 3 and as a consequence platform 26 is in its up position due to the air pressure transmitted to cylinder 33. Because of the latter fact, motor 25 is elevated and is thus ineffective at this time to -drive drum 10 because of the loeseness of belt 28. Due

to lever 86 being in the in position, brake 40 is being operated. YAlso, due to switch `95 and limit` switch 90 being open, solenoid S4 is deenergized and accordingly vvalve 83 and piston 78b-are positioned as shown in FIG.

3. Piston rod 78a is almost fully withdrawn into cylinder Y.

78 and, against the influence of the weight 77, the traversing block 69,'is attached arm 13 and rocker arm 67 are held in the position illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, V5 and 7.

'This represents the status of the machine when no ber is being drawn and the drum 1) is at rest.

To begin the glass ber drawing operation, the operator rst closes switch 95 to energize the motor and set it running. ByV pulling hand lever 86 to its intermediate position, he releases brake band 40 from engagement with ythe brake drum. Then he draws the stranded glass laments downwardly and wraps the end of the strand around the reduced section 10a of the drum while turning the latter manually until the strand'is secured to the drum. When the strand is suitably secured, henrerely grasps the hand lever 86 and draws it to the full out position which is the full clockwise position illustrated in the broken lines in FIG. 3. Y

Upon the movement of valve 85 to the full outV position ,thel air is released from cylinder 33 to the atmosphere. As a result motor 25 moves downwardlyV tighten- `ingrbelt 28 and beginning -to turn the drum 10 to wind the glass ber strand thereon. In moving downwardly platform 26 also'closes the limit switch 90 but this servesV no useful purpose at themoment since the increased Y load upon motor 25'causes relay 96 to hold open contact 92. Thus, valve 83 remains in its original position and jthe rocking Vlever 67 and traverse arm 13 remain stationary while the drumv is accelerating with` the result that the glass strand is wound on section 10a of the drum.` Y

When the drum reaches its design speed the drop' oi in current in conductor 91" decreases the electromagnetic force in relay 96 enough to permit the closing of contact 92 and cause the en ergization of valve solenoidV 84. The resultant operation of valve 83 under control of solenoid 84 disconnects the air supply line 87 from line 81 to the left-hand end of cylinder 78 and connects it to line S2 to the right hand end'causing the piston 78h to travel to the left in the cylinder. As willr be evident, this removes the restraining influence on the traveling block 69, and under the influence of Weight 77 theV block is moved to the left as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4 until the rocker armr67 engages dog 66 on plate 58.

From the time that drum 10 begins its rotation, the heart-shaped cam 57 also is set in motion, being driven from drum l) by belt 51 through the speed reducer 53. Cam 57y thus rotates about its axis 53b at a rate directly proportional to theV rate of rotation on the drum. We

have previouslynoted that the initial operation of valve ASishifts piston 'Sb tot'he left and thus frees block 69 and rocker arm 67 to shift to the left under the intiuence of weight 77. Movement of the block will continue until the rocker arm 67 engages dog 66 on plate 58 and the plate is carried far enough to causeY roller 59 to engage and ride on the periphery of the cam. n From that time forward the plate 58 travels back and forth at uniform speed, the cam forcing it to the vright against the action of the weight and permitting it toV return again once each revoluion, its supporting rods 62 and 63 sliding through the blocks 64 and 65. Rocker arm 67 follows the movevment of plate 58 and thus causes traversing block 69 and its attached arm 13 to reciprocate through a stroke parallel to the axis of the drum defined by the limits of zone B on the drum. As the traversing arm 13 moves back and forth it shifts the ber strand 11a axially along the drum and causes it to Wind in uniform layers in zone B thereof.

From the description which has preceded, it will be understood that the glassV ber wound on the reduced yportion 10a of the drum during the time'that it was accelerating is coarser than desired, while that now being wound on thedrum in zone B as the drum turns at full speed is ber of the desired neness.

' When it is desired to stop the drawing operation, the operator need only push hand lever 86 forward to the intermediate position illustrated in the Vbroken lines in FIG. 3. Valve is thus shifted to a position wherein fthe air from supply line 88 passes through the valve into block 69 and arm 13. This returns the arm 13 to the position wherein the ber is wound on the reduced portion 10a or zone A lof the drum; Thus, during deceleration collectionof coarseV ber in zone B is edectively prevented. s Y

Once the traversing block 69,4 and arm 13 have been returned to the position just described (the position illustrated in solid lines in FIGS. 3 and 5), the operator can now apply Vthe brake V4G in order to bringthe drum to a rapid halt. The brake is applied by pushing hand lever 86 forward from its intermediate position-to full forward Y (solid lines FIG. 3), which shifts valve 85 to cause air,

to enter cylinder 44. APiston 44a is thus forced downwardly and, as hereinbefore explained, causes brake band 40 to clamp tightly around the brake drum.

It shouldbe'noted that the. brake cannot be Yapplied untilrplatform`26has been raised suiciently far to open switch 90 and cause traversing block 69 to be restored to its stationary or nonoperatingposition. So long as block 69 remains in motion under the influence of cam 57, it moves between the broken line positions illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. v Thus, the stop lug 99 remains in the path of extension 98 on the hand lever and prevents forward movement of the lever beyond the'intermediate position. However, upon deenergization of solenoid 84 piston 78b moves to the other end of cylinder 58 and displaces the stop lug out of the path of extension 98. This frees the hand lever for forward movement and the brake can then be applied in the manner heretofore described. The value of this feature will be evident, it being primarily that it prevents pitting the brake against the motor since the brake is Aoperable only after the drive connection between the motor and drum has been broken.

lt will be understood that at all times during rotation of the drum the liquid sizing circulation system is in operation, the sizing being deposited on the ber strand 11a by the nozzle 107 which in turn is fed from pump 56. Of course, when the drum is halted the ow of sizing liquid ceases since the pump is driven directly from the drum through belts 50 and 55. Accordingly, the ow of sizing from nozzle 107 is controlled automatically, the ow being initiated or halted according to whether or not the drum is in rotation. The foraminous sieve-like element 113, the upright lter 104 and the ne lter 106b guard against the accumulation in the sizing liquid of particules which might otherwise clog the pump and lines.

From the foregoing it will be evident that all of the ends and objects hereinbefore set forth have been accomplished.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

Y 1. In ber manufacturing apparatus of the type employing a rotary drum to draw the ber from a ber generating device andwind up the ber as it is drawn, a sta tionary base, said drum being supported on said base, a traversing arm supported on said base for movement in a plane parallel to the axis of the drum, said arm having a portion engaging said fiber ahead of said drum, power means associated with and adapted to engage said arm for reciprocating same between two end positions dening a traversing phase in which said ber is laid in oppositely directed helical layers over a portion of the length of the drum, said traversing arm having a normal rest position such that said arm is spaced away from said one end of said traversing phase and disengaged from said power means, means continually biasing said arm away from said rest position toward operating engagement with said power means, anr electric motor, transmission means operable to drivingly connect said motor with said drum whereby to accelerate the drum from rest to a ber drawing speed, and means responsive to and controlled by the load on the motor and eifective when the speed of the drum reaches the ber drawing speed to cause said arm to move away from said rest position and into engagement with said power means.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including means operable to restore said arm to said rest position and at the same time disconnect said transmission means.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 including braking means for said drum, and disabling mechanism associated with said braking means and operable to prevent braking of the drum until such time as said arm has been restored to its rest position.

4. In ber manufacturing apparatus of the character employing a rotary drum to draw the ber from a ber generating device and wind up the ber as it is drawn, a stationary base, said drum being rotatably supported on said base, an electric motor also carried by the base, transmission means operable to drivingly connect said motor with said drum to accelerate said drum from rest to a selected ber drawing speed, a traversing arm also supported on said base and movable in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of the drum, said arm having a portion engaging said ber ahead of the drum, said arm reciprocable between two end positions defining a traversing phase and having a normal rest position in which the arm is located outside said traversing phase, means yieldably biasing said arm toward said traversing phase, holding mechanism normally maintaining said arm in said rest position, load sensing means electrically responsive to the load imposed on said motor by the drum and operable to cause said holding mechanism to release said arm for movement away from said rest position into said traversing phase in response to the decrease in load as the drum reaches fiber drawing speed.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 including means operable to restore said arm to said rest position and at the same time disconnect said transmission means whereby to shift said arm out of said traversing phase during reduction in the drum speed from the ber drawing speed.

6. Apparatus as in claim 4 including braking means for said drum, and disabling mechanism associated with said braking means and operable to prevent braking of the drum until such time as said arm has been restored to its rest position.

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